


You've Really Got a Hold on Me

by winterinmyveins



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apple Store Worker Eren, M/M, Musician Eren Yeager, Office Manager Levi, Pining Levi, Slow Build, except not really that slow probably, levi is a dork who can't stop purposefully breaking his phone just so he can see eren again, maybe like 3 chapters of pining levi before stuff happens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4612533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterinmyveins/pseuds/winterinmyveins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren works at the Apple Store, and one day, Hanji breaks Levi's phone so they come in to get it fixed and holyshit this guy is cute as hell and now Levi can't stop breaking his phone so he has an excuse to stare at Eren and ask him every question under the sun because he can't just up and say that he likes him and wants to take him out sometime, right? (Rating subject to change in later chapters.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this work!
> 
> Know that I am working diligently to update this and many other works. I apologise for any long waits.
> 
> Thank you for bearing with me and for your continued support!
> 
> I do also have [tumblr](http://ererisin.tumblr.com) We can nerd out over Ereri or you could send me questions relating to the fic or just anything, really!

It started out innocently enough. Hanji had broken his damn phone in one of her all-too-frequent hyperactive rants by flailing her arm right into his just as he was about to pocket his phone again. Just barely holding back the urge to punch her face in, Levi simply gathered the pieces of his phone in a plastic bag and told her that she was paying for the repairs and driving them to the Apple Store.

After waiting at least an hour and a half for someone to free up in order to help him, thus only heightening his irritation, a young man who looked to be maybe twenty at the oldest approached them and Levi honest to goodness forgot how to breathe. This kid had a smile that dimmed every light in this overly flourescent room, but oh, no, it didn't stop there. His eyes. They must have been stolen straight from the depths of the ocean because a colour like that was definitely not natural and _oh my god stop staring at him Levi it's been like ten minutes and he's starting to look uncomfortable._

     "Sir? Are you alright? You look a little flushed." His voice sounded concerned, and holy hell, why was his voice perfect, too, this was not fair.

Great. So much for having a good first impression. Please, someone just open up a hole to hell right here and let him fall through, it would have to be less painful than this interaction. Thrusting the bag holding his phone at the younger man, he tried to regain his indifferent composure.

     "I'm fine. This shitty idiot over here broke my phone, can you fix it?"

     "If you're sure ... Of course! It'll probably take an hour or so, if you'd like to leave and come back? It can get pretty boring just watchi--"

Levi interrupted him before he could stop himself. "We'll stay. It's fine. Take your time." _Shit. You fucking idiot. When did you forget how to think before you act? This kid is going to think you're some fucking weirdo or a serial killer or something._

The brunet blinked up at him, swallowing noticeably, before smiling slightly and nodding. He left them alone at the desk and went in search for the tools he would need. And no sooner than he was out of earshot, Hanji was erupting into barely contained giggles.

     "Oh, Levi, you've got it bad." It was hard to even understand her between snorts.

     "Shut up before I shove that iPad display up your ass and make you walk all the way back home."

She only proceeded to laugh even harder, nearly falling out of her chair. Thankfully, the scientist had managed to get a hold of herself by the time the tanned god returned. Yeah, he was way too attractive to be considered a mere mortal. He sat back down across from them and carefully pulled out the remnants of the device and began to unscrew the microscopic screws that held everything together.

Levi watched with fascination as skilled and experienced fingers made quick work of the glass, careful not to cut himself as he worked. But this time as he stared, he made sure to not lose himself to the point of unbearable embarrassment again. Though, he still couldn't get his mind to work faster than his mouth it seemed. What kind of magical powers did this boy have?

     "How long have you worked here?"

He could feel Hanji's burning, amused eyes on him as he tried his hand at small talk for probably one of the only times in his life. Those oceanic orbs found his, widened in surprise, before a small smile lifted his lips. "About three years now."

     "And do you enjoy it?"

     "It has it's ups and downs, but yeah, I guess it's a pretty good job."

     "Are you in school as well, then?" That seemed to catch him off-guard, but he only hesitated for a moment before answering.

     "Huh? Oh. Mhm. I'm a sophomore at Trost. I'm majoring in musical performance."

Music, huh? Damn. Could this kid get any more intriguing? "What kind of musical performance?"

     "Vocal and guitar. You sure ask a lot of questions, sir. Usually people just come in, drop their phone or tablet or computer off, and don't say anything until we're at the register."

     "Levi."

     "What?" He blinked and furrowed his eyebrows. _Fuck, he's adorable._

     "My name's Levi. 'Sir' makes me feel like some old geezer or something. I'm only 29, for fuck's sake. Do you not like talking? You were answering the questions just fine." _Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush._

His smile was blinding him again and this was most certainly not going to end well. "I'm Eren. I don't believe you're 29. You look like you're the same age as me, not 8 years older than me. But no, I don't mind. It just took me by surprise. I like talking to you, it makes this go by a lot more enjoyably."

The raven felt the heat lift in his cheeks, but he cleared his throat and nodded, looking away from the other, basking in his words and the newfound knowledge of his name. He'd nearly forgotten the third person at the desk, so when he met her warm, knowing eyes, Levi glared.

     "You got something to say, Four Eyes?"

     "Oh, no, not at all, Levi. I was just wondering why you even brought me along if you were just going to flir--" A small, pale hand flew to Hanji's mouth before she could finish that sentence.

     "You have to pay for this, remember? Or did you already forget that it's your fault we're here in the first place?"

     A smirk found its way to her lips. "You should be thanking me."

The staring contest that had somehow began between the two was quickly interrupted by a heavenly voice trying to get their attention. Levi looked back at him with a silent apology in his eyes that he hoped was visible.

     "Sorry for interruping, but I'm all finished here. See? Good as new."

He wasn't kidding. Levi picked up the sleek device and examined it. You couldn't even tell anything had ever happened to it. "Thank you. What do we owe you?"

Payment was taken, without protest from Hanji, thankfully, and Eren smiled brightly as he thanked them for their company. He was already getting ready to walk away to help another customer when Levi managed to gain the courage to speak out again.

     "Eren?"

Turning back, the younger tilted his head in an adorably quizzical way. "Yes?"

     "I ... Er. See you around." And without even waiting for a reply, he bolted out of the store and made it safely to his car before slamming his head into the steering wheel, face flushed crimson. _What the fuck was that?_


	2. Chapter 2

The second time was completely accidental. Really, Levi had no intention whatsoever of going back to that store and to ever speak with the beautiful brunet that he made a complete fool out of himself in front of. Recalling the memory of his awkward parting words still made him cringe even two days later.

So when his dipshit of a boss spilled a piping hot cup of coffee all over his desk, which consequently was where Levi had decided it had been a good idea to leave his phone rather than in his pocket, he once again found himself standing in front of the Apple Store. He was irritated and annoyed and every other synonym that you could think of for having to be here again, not even three days later, in a dirty mall infested with unwashed, rude, even more annoying people. He really wanted to turn around and just say to hell with it, but the moment he started considering it, he caught sight of a certain mop of chestnut hair and he was walking into the store without another thought.

     "Welcome to the Apple Store, what can I help y-- Levi?" _He remembers my name? He remembers my name. Okay. Calm down, Levi. What are you, a fucking teenage girl?_

     "Hello, Eren. My asshole of a boss spilled his stupid coffee on my phone this morning."

     "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Here, let me see your phone and I'll get you all fixed up."

Levi nodded and followed Eren to a different desk than the other day, seating himself on the other side of it as the brunet pulled out what looked like absorbency pads and the little tools he remembered from before and set to work.

     "How's your day going?" Again with the small talk. Why did he not have an off switch around this guy?

     "Oh, pretty good. It's actually been kinda slow today for a change, so it's nice. How about you, other than this, obviously?" He looked up at the raven with that stupid smile and he nearly forgot to breathe.

     "It was alright. Though this set me back in the stack of paperwork I had to get through today so I'll have to do twice as much tomorrow."

     "I see. What do you do?"

     "I manage a small office dealing with various types of stocks and such. Nothing exciting or anything." He shrugged nonchalantly. It wasn't anything the younger would be interested in.

     "That sounds really interesting and important, though! Like, I bet if it weren't for you, a lot of people would be screwed, huh?"

Blinking in surprise, Levi stumbled over a response, cursing himself for his lack of cool. "I-I guess so."

Eren's smile widened and he seemed to nod in understanding as he worked. What was it about this man that had him wanting to know everything about him? This wasn't like Levi at all. He was anti-social, unapproachable, and he overall absolutely hated dealing with people as a general rule. So how was it that this random guy who worked at the Apple Store was tearing apart every thread of Levi's usually cool, calm, and collected demeanor? Maybe Hanji was right, as unfortunate as it was. He definitely had it bad.

Far too soon, Eren was handing over his pristine phone once more with a smile, telling him that he hoped no one else broke or damaged his phone anytime soon. Why was he taking that personally? He was just being nice, not wanting the older man to be inconvenienced again or something. And yet Levi was feeling disheartened. He didn't want this to be the last time he saw the other.

     "Thank you for your hard work, again. I owe you one." Levi attempted to smile lightly as he pocketed his change.

     "Don't mention it. _See you around_." And with a wink and a smirk, he turned on his heel to attend to someone else.

In a daze, Levi made it out of the mall, into his car, and back to his apartment. Miraculously without any incident. That little shit. He was making fun of him. What the hell? And what was with that fucking smirk? Was he trying to give Levi a heart attack because wow that should be illegal. He was definitely going to file a complaint. He needed to find out who Eren's manager was and complain that he was an illegally adorable and sinfully attractive godlike being and he needed to be held accountable for what his presence did to this small asshole of a man.

And he had that exact intention the next time he wound up at the Apple Store a week later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one night. Whoa man. I thought about waiting to update like on a weekly basis or something, but I don't have the patience. And honestly, the next chapter or two is what I'm really excited for because things are gonna start to happen and Levi's pining is gonna pay off and ahhhh I can't wait, so have this slightly shorter update.  
> Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you so so much for all of the kudos and comments and bookmarks and subscribes!! I was literally a grinning mess at work all day today because of you guys!
> 
> Alright, so, throwing a little Erwin shenanigans and WinMin and what may kindasortamostdefinitely be some jealousy into the mix here. c;

He really had every intention of filing that complaint against Eren. Really, he did. He had a game plan. He knew exactly what he was going to say. He was going to be the brash asshole that everyone knew him as and then he was going to get over this stupid crush or whatever the fuck it was.

So why, you ask, was he standing in front of the computer section of the Apple Store, trying to look inconspicuous as he pretended to be checking processor speeds and storage space? Because he was a spineless jellyfish who had an undeniable infatuation with a fucking musician college student who earned his cash as a sales associate and technician, that's why.

     "Hey, Levi. You looking into a new laptop?" Eren's voice sounded beside him, causing Levi to jump slightly. Fuck this kid, seriously. _( Well, actually, he would really like to do just that. )_

     "Yeah. Anything you suggest?" He kept his gaze on the screen in front of him, not trusting himself to look into those Viridian eyes and not get lost in them. _Again._

Making a cute humming noise in thought, the brunet looked over each of the computers before pointing at one two spots down from where they were currently. "That one's the latest MacBook Air. It's got a killer processor and the graphics card makes everything else look like the first version of Pac-Man."

     "Is that what you have?"

     "No way. I could never afford that, unfortunately. Not now, at least. I have an HP, but don't tell anyone I told you that."

     "Oh. Your secret's safe with me." He attempted a smirk, daring to glance over at the other just in time to see the smile lighting up his face. This kid was going to be the end of him. "Well, I'll take one of those, then."

Oh, yeah. He was going to be the end of Levi. And every penny he had to his name.  


* * *

The next week, Levi came in claiming he needed a new phone case because he was tired of having to be overly careful to make sure the damn thing didn't bust into a million pieces anytime soon. Eren helped him pick out an OtterBox, even offering to put it on his phone for him. Their fingers brushed briefly as the phone was passed between them and back again. Levi may or may not have thought about that for the remainder of the evening and well into the morning.

The week after that, Levi strolled in to get a new charger. A few days after that, it was a new iPod that he said was for a friend's birthday. Then it was to exchange said iPod with a higher gigabyte internal storage.

He'd been making excuse after excuse and unnecessary purchase after unnecessary purchase for a month now, and Hanji and Erwin were getting tired of his inability to take action and express his feelings. So after the first of September, Erwin asked Levi to join him in a trip to the mall, stating that he had a few things to get and he didn't want to go alone. With a lot of arm twisting and the promise of a free dinner, the raven agreed. He regretted it the moment they were standing in front of the glass doors leading into his secretly favourite store in the mall.

     "Erwin. What exactly do you have to pick up here? You don't even _own_ anything made by Apple."

     "Well, you've always spoken highly of their products and you seem to always be purchasing more and more from them, so I thought maybe I would check it out and make the switch." The faux-innocent look on his face only proved to Levi that he was _definitely_ up to something.

Looking through the glass, he caught sight of Eren, who was currently stocking some phone cases, and sighed to himself. He pretty much knew the younger's schedule by now, more or less. Well, he at least knew he tended to work on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons, and he didn't work on Mondays or Wednesdays. No, he hadn't checked, what are you trying to say?

Erwin simply pushed him inside with a firm grip on his shoulder, chuckling to himself. Whatever he was planning, Levi was going to ruin him in return. His cobalt eyes met Eren's and the usual warm smile presented itself on the younger's face for an instant and then it was suddenly gone. _Huh? What was that about?_ The smile now looked forced and the musician seemed to be staring between Erwin and the hand on Levi's shoulder. _Well ... That's weird._

     "Hello. What can I help you with today?" And that greeting was all wrong. Where was his: _'Good to see you, Levi!'_ or _'Back so soon, Levi?'_ or that stupid grin that made his heart skip a billion times a minute?

     "Levi here is always talking about how great your products are, and I've been a Samsung man myself, but I thought I'd see what all the fuss is about so I tagged along today." Erwin's voice was kind and articulated as always.

     "I see. Well, thank you for the show of interest. The iPhones are right this way, if you would like to test some out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask anyone wearing a nametag."

With a final undecipherable glance at Levi, the brunet was quickly walking off towards the back of the store. Ebony eyebrows cinched together in confusion. Was Eren feeling alright today? Did something happen? Erwin seemed to notice the way he was in thought because he poked the center of his forehead to get his attention.

     "Something the matter?"

Levi shook his head quietly and led the way to the phone displays, leaning against the counter as the blonde swiped through various screens and apps. He really didn't understand this whole venture. Honestly, he just wanted to go home already. He didn't want to bother Eren if he wasn't in the best of moods.

     "Hello, there. I'm Armin, the manager of this store. Eren here says you're interested in switching over. Did you have any questions that I might be able to answer for you?" A smaller blonde with a childishly charming bowlcut strode over to the pair, Eren trailing behind him in silence.

Erwin's arm was extended faster than you could post a picture to Facebook, a gleam in his eyes as he stared at the manager. "Erwin. It's a _pleasure_ to meet you."

_And he's off._ Really, the man knew no subtlety when it came to showing his interest and attraction to anyone. Instead of paying attention to the surely flirtatious conversation now commencing between the blondes, Levi's eyes fell to Eren once more. His arms were crossed and he looked like he was about to punch someone in the face or something. Taking a step towards him, Levi cleared his throat.

     "Are you having a bad day or something?" Maybe he could get the guy to vent a little. Maybe he could help his mood.

His answer? A shrug and no eye contact. _What the actual fuck?_ Did Levi do something wrong? Was he finally fed up of him always showing up, acting like some lovesick stalker? Had he realised that he didn't need any of the various items he'd bought in the last thirty odd days? Fuck. He fucked it up. He ruined it before it even had time to maybe actually become something more than this stupid pining.

     "I'm sorry." Levi's voice was barely above a whisper, he couldn't even be sure Eren heard him.

He felt a hand on the top of his head, ruffling his hair in a playful manner and he held back a groan of displeasure before glaring up at Erwin, who was still chatting away with Armin.

     "This is Levi, my best friend. Well, I'm not sure he considers me his in return. He's a little rough around the edges, but you learn to love him."

     "Knock it off, Captain Eyebrows. No one asked for your opinion of me." Levi's irritation tinged his words, rolling his eyes before realising that Eren was nowhere to be seen again. Dammit.

     "Oh, so _you're_ Levi. _Huh._ You're not at all what I pictured." The tone in the mushroom head's voice had Levi glaring at him now.

     "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Why are you picturing me at all?"

     "Geez. You're both oblivious idiots, huh? Well, it was nice to meet you Erwin, Levi, but I really should get back to work now. Be sure to stop in again sometime, alright?" He left them with a wave and the sounds of restrained laughter.

     "Can we please get the hell out of here now, Erwin? I'm starving and annoyed and I want to go home."

     "Just wait for me outside for a minute, okay? I'll be right there. Decide where you want to eat. It's my treat, after all, so don't hold back." Erwin ushered the raven outside of the glass doors before high-tailing it back inside.

Levi simply huffed and shrugged to himself, taking a seat on a bench a little ways from the small shops. He was starting to get a headache. He couldn't stop thinking about Eren's strange behaviour and Erwin's strange behaviour and that blonde manager's strange behaviour. Everyone was fucking with him today and he was not amused in the least.

By the time Erwin finally rejoined him - smiling with satisfaction, might he add - Levi just told him to grab drive-thru McDonald's and take him home. He only wanted to wash off the stench of this horrible, strange day and move on with his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, there (hopefully) won't be a lot of angst in this story! Ereri fics and the SnK fandom in general has way too much angst and as much as I love it, I think we all need some cute, fluffy, happy fics to even it all out!  
> Once again, thank you for your support of this story and I hope you continue to enjoy the ride!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you just need your best friends to meddle into your love life and get you out of your sulking ways, Levi. It's truly for the best.

Sulking wasn't really new to Levi. He was actually pretty well known for it, though he tried his best to pass it off as simply being in a bad mood for days or weeks on end. Most people knew to just steer clear of the raven when these periods of sulk occurred, no one wanting to risk their life just yet. Erwin and Hanji were not among these very smart beings.

     "So ... when is the right time to tell you that this sulkfest is out of control? This is the worst I've seen you in a while, Levi. Why don't you just go back there and talk to him? You're probably just overreacting. You know you're not the best at reading people and understanding situations and feelings that aren't your own." Bless Hanji for never being one to hold back.

The glare she received would send any sane person running for the nearest exit, but this scientist was immune. She sighed audibly, turning to give her taller companion a look that spoke more than words could. They were going to have to commence Plan B.

     "You know that we only do this out of love, right, my little one?" The devilish grin on the brunet's face sent a shiver down Levi's spine. He hid it well, though.

     "Fuck off. Both of you. There's nothing to _'fix'_ here. It's over, okay? I'm over it. I'm not sulking. So, for once, would you just stay out of my personal life and leave me the hell alone?"

Exchanging a final glance, Hanji nodded and Erwin lifted Levi over his shoulder, ignoring his protesting cries as they made their way to Erwin's car.

* * *

     " _ **NO.**_ I am not going in there. Fuck this. Fuck you. I'll walk my ass home. I don't give a fuck. I can't go in there. I refuse to make even more of a fool out of myself. Why don't you two know how to leave things alone?"

The trio stood in the Yankee Candle right across the hall from the Apple Store in the mall. Levi's heart felt like it was in his throat as he stared through the glass at his affection's captor. He absolutely could not step foot in that store. He could not let Eren see him here. Not after the last time. Not after this week's worth of sleepless nights, sitting up and wondering why he ever thought it was a good idea to let his crush on the younger become so vast. He had sworn off of romance and love and anything of the sickening like. Not after he had gotten his heart broken all those years ago. He promised himself he would not be put back into that position again.

And then he met that stupid, beautiful brunet, and all of those promises came crumbling down without his approval. It wasn't fair. He didn't ask for this. He didn't know how to deal with this. Levi didn't do feelings. Yet, here he was, already feeling weak in the knees, and he wasn't even in the same room or space as Eren. Hanji hadn't been kidding when she said he was completely fucked for that Apple Technician.

     "Listen, Levi. We knew that this was the only way to get you here; to get you to face Eren and face your feelings. We just want you to be happy. Stop holding yourself back by thinking of only the worst possibilities, and just let in that hope that maybe - just maybe - he could feel the same way for you and this could be the start of something truly wonderful for you. We love you, so we are not letting you leave this building until you go in there. There's no use in fighting us any longer."

_Dammit, Erwin._ " ... I still hate both of you. Why do you always have to be so damn right? It's annoying. You're annoying." With that, Levi marched his very reluctant ass over there.

* * *

He knew they were going to be watching the entire time, but there wasn't much he could do about that now. It was his own fault, really. The raven glanced back one more time, noting the two over-enthusiastic thumbs up he got from his friends. Rolling his eyes, he walked right up to Eren, clearing his throat rather loudly. Jumping slightly in surprise, the tanned student's eyes widened as he turned to face the other.

     "L-Levi? Um ... What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you after --" He was silenced by a raise of Levi's hand.

     "Please, let me go first. I ... " _No, now is not the time for your voice to get stuck, Levi. You need to say it. Or they'll never let you leave this damned mall._ "I'm not sure what last time was about. I'm sorry if my coming here so regularly was creepy, or getting on your nerves. I honestly would completely understand if you never want to see me again after this, but I need to get this off my chest. Mostly for me to be able to breathe easily again, and also because those two idiots over there pressed against the glass - which I'm so sorry about, really - won't let me go home until I've said this."

He took a deep breath to stabilise himself, daring to finally look into those mesmerising emerald eyes. "I like you. I know it sounds cliche and stupid, but the first time I saw you, I was honestly taken. You are the single most beautiful being I have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. I turn into an imbecile around you. I've never been one for small talk, but I found myself wishing to speak with you more; to get to know you. It's very unlike me. I didn't actually need anything from your store after the second time I came in. I just wanted to see you. Gods, it sounds even creepier and idiotic now that I'm saying it out loud. I am so sorry for all the trouble I may have caused you, Eren. I truly --"

     "Levi, can I say something now?" Eren spoke in a warm tone, lips turned upward in a smile of understanding and a bit of shyness. The smaller nodded, caught up in that smile.

     "I like you, too, you big dummy. Last time ... I was jealous of your friend. Erwin, was it? I saw you walk in with him, his hand on your shoulder, and the way he looked at you ... It didn't sit well with me. I was an ass, and I'm sorry for that. I always looked forward to you coming in. I suspected maybe you felt the same as me since you were coming in all the time, but I didn't think I could be that lucky. And then when you came in with him, I just lost it and it put me in the shittiest mood and that's why I had Armin come out here because I couldn't deal with it. If you stick around, you'll find out I have a short temper and a bit of a jealousy problem when I come to care for others. I hope you do ... stick around, I mean. I'd really like that." The brunet's cheeks were now tinted pink, tugging at a loose string on the pocket of his slacks.

     "I ... You're sure?" He was met with a nod, and with that, he finally let himself smile. "Then, would you do me the honour of going on a date with me?"

     "I would love that, Levi. I get off at 7." Eren was now grinning from ear to ear as he reached for a pen and a piece of scrap paper from a nearby drawer, writing down his phone number and handing it to the other. "Gimme a little time to change after, though, okay? I'd like to look nice for our first date."

     "I think you always look wonderful." Shit. Levi flushed and quickly grabbed the paper, turning to leave before he could further embarrass himself. "Text me when you're ready. I'll pick you up." 

Whipping out his phone, he shot a quick text to ensure he had the number right.

[ **New Message** ] _See you around, Eren._

He walked out to the sounds of Eren laughing happily behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW SO I AM SO FREAKING SORRY HOLYSHIT  
> it's been an entire year since i started and updated this fic last and i feel so so so horribly.  
> this past year hasn't been the best to me, but hopefully things will start to get better soon and i will be able to actually update regularly!! i really want to get on with writing again. i haven't written much in a year. it feels really good to write again.  
> i'm sorry if this doesn't flow as cohesively as the previous three chapters. i'm a little rusty, but i hope you won't mind too much and that you'll still enjoy where this is going and continue on this journey with me.
> 
> and next will be their first date, so there's that to look forward to! just a couple of hopeless losers being in like together. ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The One with the First Date.
> 
> i suck at summaries so i'm gonna just start doing them in f.r.i.e.n.d.s format.

A date. Levi had a real life, actual date with Eren. It was really happening. He wasn't dreaming. _(He had pinched himself three times to affirm that fact and he now had a small bruise forming on his side because of it.)_ He was soaring; flying with happiness and excitement. He was on could nine. There was only one small, minor problem. He had no fucking idea how to plan a date.

The last time the raven had been on a date was over seven years ago. Where was he supposed to take his companion? What were they supposed to do? Was dinner and a movie too cliche and boring? By the time they actually went out, most other things would be closed, though, so what other choices did Levi really have? A moonlit picnic in some shitty park, under the severe lack of stars within Shiganshina city limits? He couldn't travel too far out of town, either. That would be too much, too soon. They barely knew each other, so there was no way any amount of time in the car together over fifteen minutes could be construed as anything other than awkward and unnerving. This was disastrous.

Glancing at the clock to see that it was already 5:30pm and he had roughly two hours before Eren was ready, he started panicking. It wasn't long before he realised he had absolutely no idea what kinds of foods Eren liked or if he had any allergies or if he had any film preferences or if he even liked movies. Levi had to abandon any efforts at making the date a surprise. He grabbed his phone from his bedside table and typed out a new message.

     [ **iMessage to : Eren** ] _Do you have any food allergies?_

     [ **iMessage from : Eren** ] _nope! are you planning our date? ;)_

     [ **iMessage to : Eren** ] _Okay. I was trying to, yes. I then realised I am horrible at dating, and I have no idea what you like to do, so here we are. What kind of foods do you prefer? Also, do you enjoy going to the movies and have a preference for any types of film?_

While he waited for a response, he pulled up a list of restaurants as well as the showtime list for Shiganshina 104, their local movie theater. It'd been a while since he'd even gone to see a movie, preferring to just wait to rent or buy it later. There were a few things playing that looked like they might be worth seeing on the big screen, and he was reading through some summaries when his phone buzzed again.

     [ **iMessage from : Eren** ] _i doubt you're horrible. and y u so formal levi? just kidding lol. well, dinner and a movie sounds perfect, actually, so you're doing great so far. i'm kind of a movie junkie, so i'd watch almost anything. as for food, i really like anything italian or a really good chinese buffet. i'm not really picky though. i like trying new things._

     [ **iMessage from : Eren** ] _also, levi. i'll be more than happy with anything you choose, so try not to worry about it too much, ok? i just want to spend time with you._

That second message had Levi all kinds of messed up. He was smiling like a complete idiot at the screen in front of him, overcome with a warmness he wasn't used to. This boy was going to be the end of him. Those were just the words he needed to hear, though, whether the brunet knew that or not. He felt calm now as he decided on Petra's for dinner - the best Italian restaurant the city had to offer in Levi's opinion - and on seeing War Dogs afterwards.

* * *

It took him the remaining hour after a quick shower to decide what he wanted to wear. He couldn't go too formal, but he didn't want to look like a slob, either. After much deliberation, he'd settled on a plain black t-shirt, some light skinny jeans, and black ankle boots. Levi checked the time on his phone for probably the billionth time that night: 7:25pm. Eren had texted him at five 'til seven, letting him know that he was clocking out a bit early and that he couldn't wait to see him. He told the other to take his time getting ready, but really, he was impatient and the longer he had to wait, the more his nerves coiled like a hundred tiny snakes in his stomach. He couldn't sit still, only stopping his pacing every few minutes to check his hair in the bathroom mirror. Luckily, his cell buzzed before he convinced himself he needed to change his outfit again.

     [ **iMessage from : Eren** ] _ready when you are! sorry for taking so long._

     [ **iMessage to : Eren** ] _Don't worry about it. I'll be right there._

Trying his best to stomp his ridiculous nerves, Levi took a few deep breaths as he locked his front door behind him. He put Eren's address into his phone's GPS, noticing it was just a few streets down, as luck would have it. Before he knew it, Levi was knocking on the door to the younger's apartment, heart in his throat. Eren opened the door with a blinding grin, looking rather heavenly in a pair of dark, lightly distressed jeans and a light olive green v-neck t-shirt. _Fuck. It should be illegal to look that good in such casual clothing. He probably looks comparable to a Greek God when wearing anything. Andprobablynothingwhat stop that, Levi, you're probably drooling and you're just standing here not saying anything and ohmygod fucking say something before you make him think you're really a creep and scare him away._

     "Hi." Wow, so eloquent, Levi. Good job.

Eren chuckled quietly. "Hey. You look nice."

     "Y-You look ... grood." _Fuck. Fuck. Mistake. Abort._

     "Been watching Mean Girls a lot, Levi?" He was laughing, locking his door and pocketing his keys before turning back to a very embarrassed Levi.

     "Shut up. Let's get going."

Well, this was starting off wonderfully. Already making a fool out of himself. This was all that gorgeous musician's fault. Who could really blame Levi, though, honestly? Sighing to himself, he opened the passenger side door, trying his best to regain his cool composure. Eren slipped inside, a faint blush on his cheeks that Levi was sure was his imagination. Shaking his head, he closed the door before making his way around the car and heading off to Petra's.

* * *

The car ride over was fairly quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Neither one knowing exactly where to start now that they had gotten to this point. Levi remained ever the gentleman after finding a parking spot, opening Eren's door for him again as well as opening the door to the restaurant. He was greeted with a cheerful exclaim of his name from a petite, adorable woman with her strawberry blonde hair up in a tidy bun.

     "What a wonderful surprise! It's been so long since you've come to visit! How have you been?" She envelopes him in a short hug, smiling all the while. He returns it immediately, relaxing slightly at the familiarity she and her restaurant brings.

     "Hello, Petra. I'm sorry about that. You know how busy work keeps me, fixing everyone else's fuck ups before I can even get to my own shit. How have you been? How's Auruo?"

     "I know, I know. But you could still make some time to come and see us more often. You do have to eat, you know. Oh, we've been good, thank you for asking. More importantly, who is this handsome stranger you've brought with you?" Her eyebrows wiggled suggestively and Levi began to regret choosing to come here.

Eren's hand was out in an instant, an easy grin on his face. "I'm Eren. It's nice to meet you. You own this place? It's wonderful."

     "Oh, thank you! It's nice to meet you as well. Yes, that's right. My husband and I opened it up about five years ago. Levi here even helped by investing in my dream to open my own restaurant, he's quite the sweetheart." Shaking the younger's hand, she winked playfully. "In any case, why don't we get you two a table and some menus."

Leading them to a more secluded table for two towards the back, Petra handed them their menus before disappearing off to the kitchen. Levi let out a small sigh, lifting his gaze to find his date skimming through the menu.

     "I'm sorry about that. Maybe I should have taken you somewhere else for the first date." His tone was apologetic. He really hadn't thought this through.

     "Oh, no, don't worry about that. I think the place is perfect. And I'm happy to meet your friends. Any glimpse I can get inside your world is worth it." Eren's smile was reassuring, stomping down even the slightest of doubts in Levi's mind. What kind of ethereal being was he?

     "I feel the same."

The two took to figuring out their meals, Eren deciding on traditional spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and Levi his favourite baked ravioli in a three cheese blend sauce. After placing their orders with their waiter, they eased into a game of 20 Questions.

     "Alright, Levi. Lightning Round: Favourite colour? Favourite book? Favourite band? Gogogo." The younger was really enjoying himself far too much.

     "Green. A Tale of Two Cities. The Smiths. Same questions."

The food arrived in a little over fifteen minutes, causing a break in the conversation as they thanked their waiter once more, both men taking a few bites before continuing on.

     "Oh, I love The Smiths. And Dickens. My favourite colour is blue. I'd probably say ... the Harry Potter series, don't laugh. Right now, I'm really digging The Paper Kites and Mumford & Sons. You're kind of bad at this, you know that?"

     "I wouldn't laugh at that, I enjoy Harry Potter as well. So Indie is more your style, then, hm? Not bad. I'm well aware of that fact, yes. I'm not used to ... this, is all. I'm not very good at the whole dating thing. Or the talking thing." Levi shrugged, taking a sip of water. It wasn't as though he could help it. You had to knock through a few walls and peel back some layers to be able to really get anything out of him.

Petra decided that moment was the best time to come and check on them. "And how's the happy couple doing? Everything tasting okay?"

     "Everything is fine, Petra. The food is delicious, as always, thank you." The pointed glare directed her way may as well have gone unnoticed, considering she chose to ignore him completely. Her attention was focused solely on the newcomer.

     "Mhm, it's incredible! I'm going to have to start coming here more often." Blue-green eyes traveled between the two, head tilting with interest. He's cute when he's embarrassed.

     "Now, if you wouldn't mind excusing us so we can finish up, we have a movie to catch in a bit." Levi barely held back the annoyance in his tone.

     "I sure hope you do, Eren! Make sure you drag this one here along with you, too. Well, I'll go grab your bill so you two crazy kids can get out of here." With a playful wink, she skipped off to the front of the restaurant, returning in record time with their check before disappearing off again after saying her goodbyes.

Levi pulled out his wallet and slipped a few bills into the bill holder, leaving a large tip on the table. He stood from his seat, making way to the door and holding it open, once again, for his date.

* * *

Arriving just a few minutes early at the movie theater, the raven paid for their tickets as well as a few drinks and a large popcorn to share, as per the younger's request. Since it was a Wednesday evening, the place was pretty empty so they easily found a couple of seats in the middle.

     "I'm glad you picked War Dogs, I've been wanting to come and see it. It looked hilarious." Eren beamed with a mouth full of popcorn.

Hiding his smile behind a hand at the sheer cuteness, Levi nodded. "I thought so, too. I'm glad you approve."

The lights dimmed, and the trailers began, and he was suddenly acutely aware of how close they were. This was the closest the two had ever been. His car was pretty spacious, so they hadn't even touched at all and now their elbows were touching on the armrest between them and Levi found himself paying more attention to this than the movie flickering on the screen. With a few small movements, he could be holding Eren's hand. If he had the courage, anyway. Instead he sat in stillness, trying his best to pay attention to the film as the sounds of the brunet's laughter rang in his ears.

It had to have been halfway through the movie now and Levi had placed the nearly empty bucket of popcorn in the empty seat beside him. Eren's legs were resting on the seat in front of him, another thing that was distracting the raven. He'd pretty much accepted the fact that he was going to have to just rent this movie later because he didn't even know what was going on anymore. His bravery levels were still in the negative range in regards to the hand-holding predicament. He'd moved his hands to his lap, essentially twiddling his thumbs to keep himself from doing anything stupid or embarrassing. However, he was too caught up in his head to realise that Eren was leaning over slightly, his lips inches from Levi's ear.

     "Are you okay? Do you not like the movie?" Concern was etched into his features.

     "I do like it. I'm just being stupid, I apologise."

     "Stupid about what?"

_Good going, you've made him worry. Just fucking do it, you idiot. Stop being a wimp._ " ... Eren, would it be alright if I held your hand?"

The musician nodded, his cheeks dusted pink and a small smile playing on his lips. He reached over to take one of Levi's hands in his own, lacing their fingers together carefully and leaning more towards the other as he turned his attention back to the film. Cobalt orbs stared at their now intertwined fingers and let himself smile. Their hands fit together perfectly, as cliche as it sounded.

Once the credits rolled by, the couple stood, stretching slightly to get out the kinks that tended to happen from sitting too long in those theater seats. Their hands remained linked as they exited the building and they only parted after they'd gotten to Levi's car. Eren gushed about all of his favourite parts of the movie as they made their way back to the college student's apartment. It wasn't long before he had parked and walked Eren up to his door.

     "Thank you for tonight, Levi. I had a really great time." He reached over to take hold of the smaller's hand once again, grinning all the while.

     "Thank you for saying yes." Levi wasn't sure what to do. He didn't know what the protocol was for ending a first date.

     "Could we maybe do this again soon? Go on another date, I mean. We don't have to do this, exactly."

     "Yes. Of course. How about this weekend? Are you free at all?"

     "All day Saturday, actually! I managed to get a Saturday off, it's a miracle. I'll plan everything, too, since you did all the work this time." The excitement radiating off of him was infectious.

     "Sounds perfect. It's getting late, though, so I should really get going. I know you've got school tomorrow and I've got to get an early jump on work."

Levi gave a little half wave, taking a couple steps back to leave, but was quickly stopped by a tug of his hands. He looked up, surprised, but before he could say anything, Eren was leaning down. He paused only momentarily to lock eyes with the other, silently asking if this was okay. Without allowing himself to think, Levi answered the gaze by closing the distance between them. Warmth traveled down his body, causing a tingling sensation in every inch of skin, even down to his toes. Eren's lips were soft and he couldn't breathe and all too quickly it was over. Their eyes met again as they parted, matching smiles and blushes on both of their faces.

     "Goodnight, Levi."

Oh, yeah. He was irreversibly fucked now, for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look, an actual timely update a week later! I am on a roll. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Also, thank you so so much for all of the kudos and subscribes and bookmarks and such. It makes me so happy to see anyone actually liking my work. This is what I really love to do most, so it's nice to be so well-received even when I feel my writing sucks. Haha. Please continue to be a lil patient with me since it has been a year since I've done any writing, so I'm still a little rusty, but I'm working hard, I promise!
> 
> See you next time!
> 
> P.S. If you got the High School Musical reference at the beginning, then I love you even more.

**Author's Note:**

> Because I'm always a slut for AUs, a friend and I were talking about this and suddenly I just couldn't stop writing it.  
> Updates will probably be pretty steady, I hope. Don't hold me to that, though.  
> But I pretty much know how I want this to go, but I'm not sure on how many chapters it will end up being.  
> Enjoy!!  
> find me on my [tumblr](http://ererisin.tumblr.com) if you have any questions or would like to talk or ya know. anything really. i'm also tracking the tags #ererisin and #fic: you've really got a hold on me


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